Why Fulham v Norwich is the biggest game in the Premier League this weekend

Forget Liverpool hosting Manchester City for an insight into Premier league superiority, Fulham v Norwich City is this weekend’s biggest fixture.

As the season draws to a close, fixtures invariably become increasingly important, and on paper, Fulham’s game against Norwich City could well decide both team’s fate.

While three points for Fulham won’t even be enough to take them above Norwich – or out of the relegation zone for that matter – the game is extremely important for the Canaries.

With remaining fixtures of Liverpool (H), Manchester United (A), Chelsea (A) and Arsenal (H) – good teams all arguably fighting for something (consistency in United’s case) – Norwich will want to make the most out of their visit to West London.

Fulham’s remaining fixtures of Tottenham (A), Hull City (H), Stoke City (A) and Crystal Palace (H) are, perhaps only on paper however, kinder to the eye.

Writing off Spurs away, and Stoke for that matter, I am hopeful that we can pick up points against Hull and Palace; not because we are better than them, but because, hopefully, they will be safe and playing for very little when we line-up against them.

This game is therefore absolutely massive for both teams; for Fulham to close the gap that Norwich are going to struggle to extend beyond this fixture and for Norwich to create a substantial gap that will prevent Fulham catching.

Looking at the two teams, both are relatively equal. Norwich and Fulham have both produced positive and negative performances – more of the latter – over the course of the season, and have, much to the frustration of their respective fans, flirted with relegation on a worrying number of occasions.

Scott Parker was on target in the return fixture in December (Picture: Getty Images)

Traditionally however, Fulham have been Norwich’s bogey team – a team that ruthlessly sent the Canaries into the Championship a few years ago, after beating them 6-0 at the Cottage.

While many Norwich fans may be lamenting their luck, which has them facing their bogey team in a must-win fixture, I, as a Fulham fan, am not so confident.

Formalities and football go together like oil and water. And Fulham, expecting to pick up three points against a team they would normally pick three points up against is exactly the kind of thing that Fulham, being Fulham, could fail to do.

What’s more, if Neil Adams is able to instigate some sort of honeymoon period – that so often occurs when a new manager takes over – our task could become a lot harder.

Another worry for the Whites is the fact that this season’s home form hasn’t been anything to brag about. In seasons-gone-by winning at the Cottage kept Fulham in the league, but this year playing by the Thames has been somewhat of a mental hindrance.

So for me, previous fixtures, stats, form, tactics, managers, players, fans and venue for that matter are all entirely irrelevant in the build up to this game.

Saturday’s match is a cup final, which may as well be played at a neutral venue, and arguably the most important fixture of the two clubs’ recent Premier League history.